Game device



A ril 22, 1958 R. L. 5:, 2,831,690

GAME DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1954 IN V EN TOR. ROBERT L. 5154 V MU & M

ATTORNEY United States Patent GAME DEVICE Robert L. Seay, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application December 2, 1954, Serial N 0. 472,658

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) This invention pertains to a game device and isparticularly directed to a game board having certain connotations and acompass heading-indicating pointer spinnable to stop at arbitrarypositions of compass heading to eifect the play on the game board.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a game board having aright angular grid structure at the center of which is located aspinnable compass element which arbitrarily stops at a compass headingso as to indicate the direction of the play objects are to be moved onthe game board grid.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved gameboard comprising, a rectilinear grid having a compass indicating devicein the center thereof and a series of home port starting places eachhaving a compass rosette indicating the relative compass headings to beutilized by each of a series of players at their respective home portstarting locations.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved gameboard device having a rectilinear grid, a spinnable compass element inthe center thereof operable to indicate a compass heading to be moved bythe players, a series of home port starting positions on the grid, andcompass heading means in connection with each of said home port startingpositions showing the relative directions of compass headings to bemoved by each player as he spins the central compass element.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved gameboard comprising a rectilinear grid having a series of home portstarting positions each orientated so that the player at each positionhas a particular compass heading direction to follow together with meansfor indicating the directional movement of each play as successiveplayers operate the compass heading indicating device.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from adetailed description of the drawings in which:

The figure is a plan view of a game board incorporating the features ofthis device.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a gameboard having a rectilinear grid comprising the lines and theperpendicular lines 11. At the central portion of the game board and inthe grid is formed a box 12 in which is formed a compass rosette 13. Acentral pivot 14 pivotally mounts the pointer 15 which is spinnable tostop at any arbitrary compass heading indicated by the compass rosette13.

The board is provided with a series of home ports 16, 17, 18 and 19,each of which are provided with their respective compass rosettes 20,21, 22 and 23.

The grid 10-11 may be provided with various forms of indication for theplay such as reefs 24, various city ports such as 25, open ocean 26,repairs 27, salvage 28 and the like, in which various additions ordeductions to the play occur when suitable moving pieces simulating2,831,690 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 boats such as the members shown at 29and 30 for example.

The method of play is as follows: With the various players with theirrespective ships 29 at home starting ports 16, 17, 18 or 19, the maincompass pointer 15 is spun and allowed to stop at its arbitrary positionof compass heading indicated by the rosette 13. Let us say this has beendone and it has stopped in the northwest direction compass heading. Thefirst player, say at his home port 16, then moves his ship member 29 ina northwest direction as indicated by his particular compass rosette 20into a block 26 of open ocean located at 31. The next player then at theposition 17 spins the pointer 15 and finds his particular compassheading and moves his boat member 29 in the direction indicated by thepointer 15 in accordance with his particular rosette 21. And so on theplay continues through 18 and 19 and then back to 16 again, with thespinning of the pointer 15 with each players move. Various values,deductions or additions may be made to each respective players score inany suitable manner in accordance with the arrangement of the specificelements 24 or the like on the grid. Should moves ultimately necessitatethe players ship member leaving the board, he is automatically out ofthe game as would be the case where they might hit a reef, block 24where the boat is sunk. The particular detailed nomenclatures for therespective blocks encountered during the play are not critical.

The important feature of the game is the provision of a rectilinear gridtogether with an indicating device for showing compass heading and tohave a series of players at a plurality of positions each with their owncompass rosette indicating their particular direction of compass headingplay. In particular, it is preferable to have a spinnable compass member15 located at the center of the board to initially determine thearbitrary compass heading that each player is to make after hisrespective spin. Thus, the game may proceed with a great deal ofinterlocking of movements of the respective elements and where twoplayers get on the same block it could be utilized as a collision or asa transfer of goods or what not in connection with a preselected seriesof rules with a particular game. It is important to note, however, thatby the four sets of compass orientations and the interlocking directionsof compass heading movements that each respective player would make, amost interesting, entertaining and educational type of game results.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes apreferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that theapparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from thespirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement andcommercial adaptations as fall within the scope of the appendent claimsare intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimedand desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A game device comprising, a game board having a series of edges and arectilinear grid formed thereon, a central indicating compass rosetteformed in the center of said board, a spinnable compass pointerpivotally mounted in the center of said central rosette, a series ofradially disposed player starting positions in said grid locatedintermediate said compass rosette and the edges of said board, a seriesof player compass direction indicating rosettes surrounding each of saidstarting positions to indicate individual directions of play of compassheadings for each particular player as derived from the stoppingposition of said compass pointer on said central indicating compassrosette.

2. A game device comprising, a game board having a series of edges and arectilinear grid formed thereon, 21 References Cited in the file of thispatent single centrally located compass rosette having a spin- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS nable pointer, a series of radially disposed playerstarting 1 353 764 Lambert Sept 21 1920 positions in said grid locatedintermediate the center and, 6 Warner 1925 edges of said board, andplayer direction of play indi- 5 1:564458 Whiting 1925 eating compassrosettes around each of said starting po'si- 2:211:37 Bun Aug 1940 tionsto Show the movement to be imparted to played 2 549 495 Li htf t APR 171951 objects on said board as defined by said single centrally locatedcompass heading indicator operated successively FOREIGN PATENTS by eachplayer in turn. 7 M 10 495,506 Canada Aug. 25, 1953

